Kyle Vanden Bosch's value can't be limited to his on-field play

AP PhotoKyle Vanden Bosch can be nightmare for opposing offenses, but his off-the-field impact is just as important as his on-field accomplishments.

ALLEN PARK -- Defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch is a pretty good player. Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz will tell you as much.

"He has two sacks, two forced fumbles in the first two weeks," said Schwartz. "He's been a productive player. We didn't bring him in here for any reason other than that. The bonus you get is that he is an extremely hard worker."

While Schwartz downplays Vanden Bosch's work ethic, it's that, combined with his leadership and intensity that make the defensive end the MVP of the Lions' locker room.

"He's doesn't like to take days off," cornerback Chris Houston said. "He comes to work every day and practices the same way every day. That trickles down. We have young guys that see him practice like that."

It's almost unfair that Vanden Bosch, a player who hates taking days off, is being held out of practice by the Detroit Lions coaching staff every Wednesday in an effort to keep him healthy all season.

But come Thursday each week, the 11-year veteran is back at it, racing through the morning drills, finishing at least 10 yards ahead of every other player in sprints.

"It's the way I think football should be played and the way guys should practice," Vanden Bosch said. "I've realize people look to me on see how to practice, set the tone. It also helps me to play at a high level on Sundays by working like that."

Cliff Avril, a four-year veteran who starts on the opposite side of the defensive line from Vanden Bosch, acknowledges the influence of the veteran's intensity on the practice field.

"Personally, it's definitely rubbed off on me," Avril said. "It's changed my game. Once he got here, he's showed me how to play this game just by how he plays."

Avril's improvement certainly showed up in the stat book. In 2010, the first year the two played together, Avril racked up nine sacks, nearly doubling his previous career-high.

Vanden Bosch wants younger players, such as Avril, to learn through his example what it takes to have a long and productive career in the NFL.

"I think they understand what I've come through - my past record - that there's a reason I've been in the league for 11 years," Vanden Bosch said. "There's a reason I've been a captain the last five years. I think they pick up on that, understanding what it takes to be considered a professional."